10 winter-ready AWD vehicles for under $35,000

Snow and ice are no match for these affordable, winter-ready beasts

By Paul Choi

Originally published: October 7, 2014

Here in the Great White North (a.k.a. the zone of perpetual winter), every little bit helps when it comes to traversing the snow and ice.

Winter rubbers are a must, of course. Traction control and antilock brakes are almost obligatory. Heated seats … well, that’s a bit of a luxury but, hey, take those too if you can.

Oft-overlooked, however, is all-wheel-drive. While it won’t necessarily make you invincible (driving too fast for the conditions will spell disaster regardless of the drivetrain), it will help you slice through the white stuff like butter and keep you on the straight and narrow when facing slippery conditions.

Unlike standard two-wheel-drive setups, AWD (or four-wheel-drive) systems allow all four wheels to receive torque from the engine. This is especially useful when facing a situation where tires lose traction (in snow, ice or gravel) — AWD distributes enough power to all four wheels to prevent slippage and will send more power to wheels that have traction to get you out of a jam. In other words, if you never get stuck in the snow, then your AWD, in concert with traction control and ABS, is working.

With that said, here are 10 very winter-capable vehicles that can be equipped with AWD for under $35,000.

2015 Subaru Impreza WRX — $32,495 (Sport package)

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean a little fun can’t be had. For pure compact performance for under 35 grand, you can’t get much better than the Impreza WRX. While it shares similar looks, the WRX is a helluva lot sportier than your vanilla Impreza, but it’s not quite the over-the-top rally rocket that is the STi. Nonetheless, the WRX offers a spirited drive thanks to its rally car roots while offering all-wheel-drive peace of mind thanks to Subaru’s symmetrical full-time AWD system, which constantly adjusts torque distribution to the front and rear wheels.

As one of the few compact cars to even offer AWD (Subaru makes it standard throughout their lineup — except on the BRZ), it’s a bonus that the WRX offers so much driving power and fun to boot. The WRX’s trademark turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-litre, four-cylinder boxer engine delivers 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Drifting in the snow has never been this much fun.

Mazda made a successful foray into the world of compact crossovers with its popular CX-5 in 2013. As the first car in the company’s lineup to show off its new Kodo “soul of design” philosophy, the handsomely styled CUV looks good and is also fun to drive thanks to its nimble suspension and a lighter, tougher chassis, part of Mazda’s Skyactiv overhaul.

Adding to the fun is Mazda’s powerful 2.5L four-cylinder Skyactiv engine, which makes 184 hp and 185 lb.-ft. of torque. Equipped with all-wheel-drive, the 2.5L CX-5 GT comes with everything you need to battle Canadian winter: Traction control, dynamic stability control, rearview parking camera, fog lights, heated seats, dual zone climate control, and 19-inch alloy wheels. And the best part? There’s not much of a fuel economy penalty for opting for AWD. The AWD 2.5L CX-5 has fuel economy ratings of 9.9 L/100 km in the city and 7.9 on the highway, while the front-wheel-drive 2.5L version has a rating of 9.6 and 7.4, respectively.

The only downside? The AWD system’s stability control can’t be manually turned off if you’re looking to do a little hooning in the snow.

2014 Mazda CX-5 GT

PHOTO: Brian Harper, Driving

If you like black in your interior, you'll love the CX-5's cabin. While it may be overly dark, everything is logically placed and easy to use.

PHOTO: Handout, Mazda

2015 Mini Cooper S Countryman All4 — $29,900.

Don’t let the name or its appearance fool you. The Mini Cooper S Countryman All4 is mini only in name. In reality, it’s a pretty beefy four-door compact crossover that hauls up to five people. But, of course, its uniqueness comes from its distinctly Mini styling. And a twin-scroll turbocharged 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine producing 181-hp and 177 lb.-ft. of torque ensures it’s not a laggard on the road.

The all-wheel-drive system in the All4 version of the Mini Cooper S Countryman is no slouch either. The permanent AWD system is constantly at the ready to distribute power between the front and rear axles. In normal driving conditions, the All4 will send up to 50% of power to the rear wheels, but in extreme situations the power distribution can be as much as 100%. MacPherson struts on the front axle and a multi-link rear suspension also ensure a taut and safe driving experience in winter conditions. The Mini Countryman also comes standard with Dynamic Stability Control for added safety.

Ford is recalling 65,000 Fusions across North America over an ignition key that can be removed while the transmission is in gear.

PHOTO: Nick Tragianis, Driving

Ford Fusion SE

PHOTO: Nick Tragianis, Driving

2014 Honda CR-V EX — $33,223

Honda’s trusty, reliable CR-V continues to be one of the carmaker’s top sellers, along with the Civic and Accord. And with good reason. With lots of space, a versatile driving feel, and and solid looks, the CR-V is a capable family hauler.

The EX trim comes loaded with Honda’s real-time AWD, with Intelligent Control System, a new setup that makes power distribution to the rear wheels almost unnoticeable to most drivers. Hill Start Assist also helps when you need to move up an incline from a dead stop.

Standard across all trim levels is a 2.4-litre inline four-cylinder engine that produces 185 hp and 163 lb.-ft. of torque. It may seem a tad underpowered, but the benefit is stellar fuel economy (with AWD, the CR-V is rated at 9.2 L/100 km in the city, 6.6 on the highway for a combined rating of 8.1).

2014 Honda CR-V

PHOTO: Handout, Honda

2014 Honda CR-V

PHOTO: Handout, Honda

2015 Nissan Rogue SL — $31,298

If you were turned off by the Rogue’s polarizing design and plain interior in the past, you should take another look. The newly redesigned Rogue benefits from a sleek, handsome body, a nicer-looking grille, and a larger profile inside and out. It’s also one of the most feature-packed cars on this list.

Powered by a 2.5L, four-cylinder engine, the Rogue delivers 170 hp and 175 lb.-ft. of torque. Power is delivered through Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission and Nissan’s Intuitive All-Wheel-Drive system. In the Rogue, the AWD system powers the front wheels at all times and only diverts power to the rear when the situation calls for it. Augmenting AWD in the SL trim is hill-start assist and hill-descent control.

A host of other safety (or nanny, depending on how you look at it) systems are also available in the new Rogue, some of which will help more than others in wintry conditions. These include blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and moving-object detection.

2014 Nissan Rogue

PHOTO: John LeBlanc, Driving

2014 Nissan Rogue

PHOTO: John LeBlanc, Driving

2015 Toyota RAV4 AWD Limited — $33,350

With 4 in its name, you’d think Toyota’s reliable RAV4 (Recreational Activity Vehicle with 4-wheel drive) would come with all-wheel-drive across the lineup. But that’s not the case, as the RAV4 can be had in two trims with front-wheel-drive.

That odd dichotomy aside, the top-of-the-line RAV4 AWD Limited comes with a very capable 2.5L, four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The four-banger produces 176 hp and 172 lb.-ft. of torque. Along with AWD, the RAV4 also has traction control that can be turned off manually.

It’s just a bummer that the new RAV4 takes a step backward in some ways. With no V6 option and no third row seating, the SUV loses a step as well as some utility.

Realistically, we could have filled this entire list with just Subarus (here’s looking at you Forester and Outback). But, variety is the spice of life, as they say.

With an abundance of SUV/CUV options with all-wheel-drive on the market, we’d be remiss not to include Subaru’s mid-size sedan offering, the Legacy, which also serves as the company’s flagship vehicle.

Like all the cars in Subaru’s lineup, the Legacy comes equipped with the Japanese carmaker’s full-time, symmetrical AWD system. This Legacy’s AWD system is governed by an electronically controlled multi-plate transfer clutch that delivers power to the rear axle when needed. Under normal conditions, the torque split is 60% front and 40% rear.

This particular Legacy trim comes with a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder boxer engine that pumps out 175 hp and 174 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a continuously variable transmission with a manual mode and paddle shifters. Also included is Subaru’s EyeSight collision avoidance technology.

VW’s compact crossover offering, the Tiguan, is one of the few near-premium German cars that can be had with AWD at this price point

Built on the same platform as the Golf, the Tiguan is powered by a 2.0L turbo FSI engine that pumps out a strong 200 hp. A six-speed automatic transmission is the only option available when equipped with Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive (a six-speed manual is available in the FWD Trendline trim).

Anti-lock brakes, traction control, and electronic stability control all come standard in the Tiguan.

The Santa Fe’s AWD system also comes with Active Cornering Control, which manages rear-wheel speed to reduce over- and under-steer during turns in bad weather conditions. Fuel economy shouldn’t be too much of a concern as well, with a city rating of 11 L/100 km and highway at 7.9, for a combined rating of 9.6 L/100 km.